Biography

Alick Martin, known as Froilig or Fradhlaic, son of Donald Dhupail, was born at 58 Cnoc an t‑Solais, Back, Lewis, on 12 November 1903. His mother was Peggy MacDonald from 27 Coll, and there were nine children in the family — six boys and three girls.

Alick went to sea shortly after finishing school at the age of sixteen. He worked with City Line, the New Zealand Shipping Company, Port Line, and several others. While sailing on the Port Hardy with Port Line, he composed the song Òran a' Phort Hardy. When Iain MacDonald (Hoddan) [7053] first recorded the song, the Stornoway Gazette reported that it was the best‑selling Gaelic record of the time, and Alick joked that he was ""top of the hit parade"". He later joined the Navy and rose to the rank of lieutenant. The ship he served on was sunk by a torpedo during the war, and he spent time recovering in hospital in Gibraltar. Afterwards, he worked as a Navy recruiter and was known for taking excellent care of the men he enlisted from Lewis, Harris, the Uists, and Barra.

Alick met his wife, Katy Mary MacMillan from Gress, in London. Katy Mary and her sister Anna were both working there at the time, and Froilig's brother Donald was courting Anna, and so the brothers ended up marrying the two sisters. In 1939, Alick and Katy Mary had a large wedding in London, organised by the wealthy Kensington family Katy worked for. They lived in Chatham until the outbreak of war, after which they returned to Lewis and rented a house in Back. The family moved to Stornoway in 1949 and eventually had nine children.

After leaving the Navy, Alick worked on tugboats in the Mediterranean. During the Hydro scheme at Ben Cruachan, he was in charge of the boats operating out of Loch Awe. He later worked on the construction of the causeway at Eilean na Gobhail in Stornoway, and afterwards for the firm Bain & Morrison in the town. Alick was a gifted handyman, able to turn his hand to tailoring, cobbling, and carpentry, and he made every piece of furniture in his own home. He was also a talented musician. He could read and write music, played the pipes, accordion, Jew's harp, and mouth‑organ, and was a fine singer.

Alick passed away on 28 November 1969.

List of compositions

Òran a' Phort Hardy